In recent years there has been somewhat of a revival of interest in the music of British composers from the 1940’s to 60’s – composers such as William Alwyn, York Bowen and Sir Lennox Berkeley are again being performed and recorded after a period of relative lack of interest in their music. I am happy to see this as there are many fine works in the flute repertoire from these composers and others of the era.

The work that I would like to introduce in this article is Sir Lennox Berkeley’s Concertino Op 49 for recorder/ flute, violin, cello and harpsichord/piano. I first encountered it during my early years studying in London and loved the freshness and energy of the music.

Written in 1955, it is among the many works inspired by the recorder “guru” of the time, Carl Dolmetsch – the flute part was initially conceived for recorder, but fits perfectly onto the flute. The inspiration for the ensemble clearly has stemmed from the Baroque trio sonata combination although the style is influenced by serialism. Berkeley spent many years in Paris studying with Nadia Boulanger, alongside composers such as Copland and Elliot Carter, where he worked in more of a neo-classical style. However, as with many of his colleagues, Stravinsky included, he had a period where he extended his musical language by working with the ideas of serialism, and aspects of the Concertino derive from this exploration.

Don’t think for a moment that this work will be “grey, serious, intellectual” - some of the descriptions that are often attached to serial style. It is fresh, exciting, colourful and rhythmic – and it is great fun to play! The first movement is the grittiest, embarking on its journey with a strong, syncopated melody in octave unison on violin and cello, supported by the harpsichord or piano and completed with swirling demisemiquaver flourishes on the flute four bars later. Much of the melodic material, be it vigorous or dolce, is treated contrapuntally with much reliance on imitation between the treble voices. The keyboard part hints at the Baroque idiom with snippets of ornamentation within the accompaniment. There are plenty of opportunities for interpretation of melody, rubato, note-lengths and weight of attack, finding the balance between driving energy and spaciousness which are qualities that characterise this movement. For the flute player, there are passages requiring sparkling articulation (much like those in Berkeley’s Sonatina) and well co-ordinated fingerwork in the flourishes.

Instead of a central slow movement, Berkeley gives us two short Arias for flute and cello, then violin and harpsichord. Aria I is built on the idea of a Chaconne or Ground Bass, set in motion with a 6 bar melody on the cello, which repeats throughout the movement. The flute floats above, playing a melody based on sevenths and seconds, giving the music a sense of stretch and release. Midway through the movement, the roles are reversed and the melodic material in the flute part derives from the cello opening, whilst the cello adapts the flute pitches. All very intriguing and extremely well crafted, but above all, atmospheric and quite haunting. Aria II is equally beautiful, with a finely spun melody on the violin accompanied by rolling chords and arpeggio figures on the harpsichord. After three falling phrases on the violin, the movement then builds in a simple arch shape, ending as it began with the falling phrase. Again, like Berkeley’s flute Sonatina, the slow movements are powerful in their simplicity.

The final movement is an energetic romp in compound duple time, featuring rapid staccato arpeggio figures (again familiar to those who have studied Sonatina). There is a contrasting dolce theme, but never a loss of forward momentum and the energy of a rollicking dance. This movement is more straightforward in terms of ensemble and is relatively easy to put together once notes are mastered. There are many articulation details in the score which need to be observed and matched between strings, flute and keyboard. Pianists need to understand something of the nature of the harpsichord, and it will help them to understand articulation and note-lengths if they are able to hear or even try out a harpsichord. I have played this work with both harpsichord and piano, and it is just as effective with either. From a personal viewpoint, I did prefer playing with the harpsichord as the particular colour of that instrument is so different, especially in a modern setting.

Sir Lennox’s Concertino is a fine work for quite advanced students to explore. As the name Concertino suggests, it is something of a virtuosic showcase for each instrument, requiring a range of interpretative skills, clarity of articulation, strong rhythm and above all, it is challenging as an ensemble piece. It lasts about 13 minutes in its entirety and, along with Berkeley’s Concerto Op 36 and Sonata Op 97 is published by Chesters Edition. The Sonatina, another fine work by Sir Lennox, is published by Schotts. I have had such pleasure from rehearsing and performing Concertino on several occasions, and so I encourage readers to give this piece a go and hope that you might find the same enjoyment in it.

Ingrid Culliford spent many years in London as a free- lance flautist and teacher, and was professor of flute at Trinity College of Music and the Junior Royal Academy of Music. She currently tutors in flute at Waikato University and the NZ School of Music, adjudicates at many festivals and competitions, is an examiner for the NZMEB and a Senior Examiner for the International Baccalaureate Organisation.